Sprint Briefing Sales Reps for October iPhone 4 Launch? No Sprint iPhone 5 Until 2012?

[MacRumors]

TUAW reports that it has received word that Sprint has begun training its sales representatives for a planned October launch of the iPhone 4 on the carrier.

A Sprint Nextel sales associate told TUAW that the carrier has started briefing its employees on an imminent Sprint iPhone 4 launch.

The briefing reportedly told the sales team that Sprint will begin offering the iPhone 4 in October 2011 (next month) with standard Sprint data plans; they will include a $10 data smartphone premium that is not specific to iPhone.

The report offers two other curious tidbits, however, claiming that Sprint will at some point offer a "4G" iPad and that Sprint will not begin offering the iPhone 5 until sometime next year, most likely early spring. The iPhone 5 claim directly contradicts earlier mainstream media reports indicating that Sprint would launch the iPhone 5 at the same time as AT&T and Verizon in mid-October.

Article Link: Sprint Briefing Sales Reps for October iPhone 4 Launch? No Sprint iPhone 5 Until 2012?

 

[chrmjenkins]

Maybe a LTE 4G iPad once Sprint announces LTE plans. I don't see apple ever messing with WiMax.

 

[Amadeo]

You know, honestly, an "iPhone 4S" launch on Sprint, rather than an iPhone 5 seems perfectly realistic.

 

[Caliber26]

I don't see Sprint offering a 16-month old model as their iPhone debut. If not the iPhone 5, the 'new' iPhone 4S is probably more like it.

 

[TZeruk]

I'd be a bit disappointed, tbh, if they released the iPhone 4. I've been waiting out the iPhone on Sprint because of the great rates on plans ... but am not all that interested in getting a 16 month old phone, as great as it still is.

 

[Jim01]

I like the fact that it mentions standard data plans. Gives me some hope that I will be able to pick one up on my SERO-P account. Only time will tell.

 

[xFenixKnightx]

Rumors galore!

This is getting...no wait, we're past that. This is getting ridonkulous.

 

[I is Mac]

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Who would even buy that...

 

[bushido]

I hope for a uniband iPhone 4S or whatever and an actual iPhone 5

 

[reltm]

You know, honestly, an "iPhone 4S" launch on Sprint, rather than an iPhone 5 seems perfectly realistic.

Are you saying Verizon and AT&T would carry the iPhone 5 while Sprint would only have the iPhone 4S? What are your reasons for thinking that is likely?

It seems more likely that Sprint will get the same iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4S, whatever comes out) that the other carriers get. I don't see it getting the legacy iPhone 4 at a lower price point, considering that Verizon didn't get the iPhone 3GS at the lower price point the way it is available on AT&T.

The only reason I could see Sprint getting an iPhone 4S while Verizon and AT&T get an iPhone 5 is that it is the first time it is available to Sprint customers, and they might be willing to buy something less than what is available on Verizon and AT&T. This wasn't the case when Verizon got the iPhone 4 because there was nothing newer available at that time.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Are you saying Verizon and AT&T would carry the iPhone 5 while Sprint would only have the iPhone 4S? What are your reasons for thinking that is likely?

Because we've been thinking about that S all wrong the whole time.

The S in fact stands for Sprint! AT&T and Verizon (and maybe even T-Mobile) will get the iPhone 5, while Sprint will get the iPhone 4Sprint!

 

[note235]

that would make sense haha

 

[sevimli]

epic fail

 

[Gigaman]

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Heres the thing, didn't Verizon prep for the 3GS in order to not leak anything for the iPhone 4? This could be that senerio. The 2012 launch doesn't make sense period.

 

[too758]

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Heres the thing, didn't Verizon prep for the 3GS in order to not leak anything for the iPhone 4? This could be that senerio. The 2012 launch doesn't make sense period.

I agree with this. Why would Foxxconn lower their shipments of the iPhone 4 when they are planning a major launch on the last service provider that offers unlimited data? Oh, and survey says that 52% of surveyed sprint customers would buy the iPhone if it were released on sprint. If the iPhone 4 is what sprint is getting then I guess the Epic 4G Touch is what I'll be getting.

 

[CalZephyr]

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Who would even buy that...

Not me.

 

[mclaren700]

Lies.

The source is anonymous, there is only one instance of the claim, and he also reports that there will be "a Sprint iPad 2 4g coming this fall."



Nope.

 

[Mattsasa]

I am not saying this is true but it is still perfectly realistic...

they would launch the cdma iphone 4 (8gb) with unlimited data

and it would only cost $100

 

[terraphantm]

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You know, honestly, an "iPhone 4S" launch on Sprint, rather than an iPhone 5 seems perfectly realistic.

Are you saying Verizon and AT&T would carry the iPhone 5 while Sprint would only have the iPhone 4S? What are your reasons for thinking that is likely?

It seems more likely that Sprint will get the same iPhone 5 (or iPhone 4S, whatever comes out) that the other carriers get. I don't see it getting the legacy iPhone 4 at a lower price point, considering that Verizon didn't get the iPhone 3GS at the lower price point the way it is available on AT&T.

The only reason I could see Sprint getting an iPhone 4S while Verizon and AT&T get an iPhone 5 is that it is the first time it is available to Sprint customers, and they might be willing to buy something less than what is available on Verizon and AT&T. This wasn't the case when Verizon got the iPhone 4 because there was nothing newer available at that time.

Perhaps sprint can't afford to pay as large of a subsidy that AT&T and VZW do? If that's the case, I could see the desire to launch a "cheaper" iPhone on their network while AT&T and VZW get the premium phone. Or perhaps it has something to do with whatever contract they (AT&T and VZW) negotiated with apple.

 

[bflowers]

There is no way Sprint, which is already struggling to maintain customers, would adopt the 16 month old iPhone 4 unless they were offering it as the low cost option next to the iPhone 4G or 5 (or whatever they call the next one).

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Perhaps sprint can't afford to pay as large of a subsidy that AT&T and VZW do? If that's the case, I could see the desire to launch a "cheaper" iPhone on their network while AT&T and VZW get the premium phone. Or perhaps it has something to do with whatever contract they (AT&T and VZW) negotiated with apple.

No, they would just sell it with less of a subsidy, and promote that you make it up in plan savings and data fee saving over the other two. People would pay more upfront for the same phone to get a better long term deal than pay the same amount for a really old model. Europeans pay full price for their phones all the time. No carrier subsidies. Heck, the original iPhone didn't get a subsidy for the first month or so and still sold fast.